Shaun Maloney upbeat after Wigan Athletic handed new 2023/24 schedule

Up until last week, Latics’ place on the start line wasn’t a given, until local billionaire Mike Danson completed his takeover of the club.

That’s resulted in a sense of real optimism for the big kick-off, now only six weeks away.

And the Latics boss can’t wait to get back to talking about football after all the recent focus on the off-field carnage.

"We have to learn from what's gone before, and just look forward,” he said.

"Already we've seen some changes to the squad, and there will be more between now and the start of the season.

"The way we want to play, we need to have a certain profile of player coming in.

"But that doesn't mean that will be the only focus, because I love the Academy, and the quality of player we have coming through bodes well for the future.

"I don't care if a player is 19 or 35...it's what they bring to the team that's the most important.”

Latics kick-off the new season with a trip to promotion favourites Derby County on Saturday, August 5.

The Rams visit the DW Stadium for the reverse fixture on Boxing Day, while Latics are at Barnsley on New Year’s Day.

Easter sees Latics host Burton Albion on Good Friday before travelling to Cambridge on Easter Monday.

And Maloney’s men will round off the campaign with the visit of Bristol Rovers on Saturday, April 27.

The two derbies against Bolton see Latics travel to Horwich on Saturday, August 19, and host the Trotters on Saturday, January 6.

Full schedule:

Saturday, August 5: Derby (a)

Saturday, August 12: Northampton (h)

Tuesday, August 15: Carlisle (a)

Saturday, August 19: Bolton (a)

Saturday, August 26: Barnsley (h)

Saturday, September 2: Blackpool (a)

Saturday, September 9: Charlton (h)

Saturday, September 16: Cambridge (h)

Saturday, September 23: Bristol Rovers (a)

Saturday, September 30: Portsmouth (h)

Tuesday, October 3: Burton (a)

Saturday, October 7: Stevenage (a)

Saturday, October 14: Peterborough (h)

Saturday, October 21: Exeter (a)

Tuesday, October 24: Oxford (h)

Saturday, October 28: Shrewsbury (h)

Saturday, November 4: FA Cup first round

Saturday, November 11: Cheltenham (a)

Saturday, November 18: Wycombe (h)

Saturday, November 25: Leyton Orient (a)

Tuesday, November 28: Fleetwood (h)

Saturday, December 2: FA Cup second round

Saturday, December 9: Lincoln (h)

Saturday, December 16: Port Vale (a)

Saturday, December 23: Reading (a)

Tuesday, December 26: Derby (h)

Friday, December 29: Carlisle (h)

Monday, January 1: Barnsley (a)

Saturday, January 6: Bolton (h)

Saturday, January 13: Northampton (a)

Saturday, January 20: Reading (h)

Saturday, January 27: Stevenage (h)

Saturday, February 3: Peterborough (a)

Saturday, February 10: Exeter (h)

Tuesday, February 13: Oxford (a)

Saturday, February 17: Shrewsbury (a)

Saturday, February 24: Cheltenham (h)

Saturday, March 2: Fleetwood (a)

Saturday, March 9: Leyton Orient (h)

Tuesday, March 12: Wycombe (a)

Saturday, March 16: Blackpool (h)

Saturday, March 23: Charlton (a)

Friday, March 29: Burton (h)

Monday, April 1: Cambridge (a)

Saturday, April 6: Port Vale (h)

Saturday, April 13: Lincoln (a)

Saturday, April 20: Portsmouth (a)

Saturday, April 27: Bristol Rovers (h)